From the waist down, Myrtle Corbin was actually two women. Through a very rare birth defect, she’d grown two sets of everything in the lower half of her body. Though she was born healthy in every other way, it would be hard for Corbin to learn how to walk—but the hardest part of all, of course, would be dealing with the attention and judgment of others. And sometimes, the worst of it came from those closest to her.
Doctors—the figures who should’ve shown Corbin the most understanding—were often unkind and downright lewd. While one doctor called her a “living monstrosity,” others went into obscene detail about her anatomy. To her family, who were struggling to get by, this attention, negative as it was, still seemed like an opportunity.
What followed was a degrading career in circuses and freak shows, working with the notorious P.T. Barnum. Though Corbin was friendly and upbeat, living a life on display wore on her. She also had to watch as her sister got to grow up and live a normal life—going on dates, making friends, getting engaged.
Luckily, her looks, personality, and smarts made her quite the catch—which is not to mention the generous salary she was earning. Unfortunately, this also made her a target for some less-than-scrupulous men. Corbin knew she had to be picky with who she trusted, but she ended up meeting a doctor—of all people—through her sister’s husband.
They got married and had children—no easy feat for a woman with two pelvises—and lived “happily ever after,” despite suffering many painful losses in the process. Sadly, when Corbin was in her 50s, she fell ill and passed away suddenly.
To some, this may seem like where Corbin’s story ends—but for her family, their nightmare was just beginning. Strange offers came through from people calling themselves doctors and scientists who wanted to purchase her remains. To keep their beloved wife and mother safe from grave robbers, Corbin’s family had to have her remains entombed in cement.
